A Greater Danger
by somethingofdreams
Summary: While attending the Equalist Rally, a lot of things go through Mako's mind and for the first time he realizes just what he's gotten himself into regarding Korra


Mako and Korra stood in the revelation rally, attempting to fit in while frantically searching for Bolin, hoping he was still alright. Mako had a lot on his mind. Bolin had gotten into trouble many times before but never like this. This was the worst screw up yet. Mako was frustrated beyond belief. _How could Bolin do this? Didn't he know better than to trust Shady Shin?_

The lights focused on the main stage. As Amon appeared for the first time, Mako evaluated the situation and the leader he knows he'll probably be seeing again. As Amon began his story, a slight feeling of pain hit Mako in a way he didn't expect. It's a bittersweet moment as he realizes their stories are not terribly unlike each other. Mako becomes lost in thought for a moment as his mind wanders off back into his own childhood. It's almost like he can still smell his mother's cooking and hear his father's laugh. Everything else in the world has disappeared and all that remains is himself, Bolin and his parents, all safe and sound and together. Everything seems right again, the world back in balance.

The daydream was interrupted by a sharp, painful memory of the tragedy. As he attempted to pull himself back to reality he was jerked away by the thought briefly crosses his mind – what if it was the same firebender or if they were from the same group of people. Mako forgets about it. Even if there was a connection, Amon is going about his revenge the wrong way. And now Mako begins to question if, despite having similar stories, he might still end up living in fear and trying desperately to avoid people who want to take even more away from him.

_Bolin!_

"Crap," Mako thinks as he snaps back into reality, "Bolin's still in trouble and this lunatic is most likely the cause. He's gotta be here somewhere." Mako scans the crowd but can't find anything. He tries to compose himself but on the inside his fear is eating away at every bit of confidence.

Despite Amon stooping down to a more barbaric level in the midst of this idea of revenge, he was still quite terrifying. In fact, that was the scariest part of all. Mako had seen many bitter non-benders try to incite revenge on a bender but they had always been alone and rarely did they gain much popularity other than a quick mention in the morning newspaper the next day.

But this was different. It was different on so many levels. Amon meant business. Mako remembered scanning the room as he and Korra walked in. He had told Korra he couldn't believe how many people were here but the truth was he couldn't even begin to wrap his mind around it. Somehow he always thought that anti-benders were sporadic. Never anything like this.

Mako sighed quietly. Was this really happening? He and Bolin had gone through enough crud in their lives. The last thing they needed was to run in fear for their lives. Sure their lives still weren't easy, but pro-bending gave them a home and Mako had gotten a job at the local power plant. For once things were starting to become stable for them. It was mostly likely the closest they'd ever get to normal.

And now this. The ultimate threat to Mako and Bolin's way of life. In a split second Mako wondered if all this came about him because of Korra. Bolin just _had _to bring her on the team. He just _had _to insist she join them. Sure, Mako became slightly more convinced of Korra's abilities after the third match but even just yesterday morning he called her a rookie and through a ball right at her with purpose to hurt her a little. Of course that backfired on Mako but he shook the memory and slight embarrassment from his mind and tried to focus.

Amon began his speech and declared the avatar was in town. The crowd erupted in booing and shouting. Korra couldn't believe so many people hated her. For a moment she questioned everything she had done as every encounter she had since coming to Republic City flashed before her eyes. Although Mako didn't look he could feel Korra become uneasy and embarrassed. Mako himself became uneasy and could hardly believe what he was hearing. Were these people seriously booing the avatar? Mako's never seen resistance like this.

Suddenly Mako's world stands still. It jolts through Mako like lightning…this is becoming all too real… the avatar isn't just some figure head that he hears in stories anymore. _It's the girl standing next to him. _Every recent events with Korra flashes before him. A wave of disbelief washes over him as he tries to make sense of it all. This isn't some book he's reading, this is as real as everything else. His mind wanders as his thinks about Korra.

_Is it really this girl that's the avatar?_ The girl who inserted herself on the Fire Ferret team as Hasook bailed. The girl who's headstrong and constantly making sarcastic remarks. The girl who makes weird moves on him and confuses him at times as to how she feels about him. This is the girl who he's beginning to wonder if she thinks of him as more than a friend.

But this isn't just any girl anymore. _This is the freakin' avatar._ The one who can bend all four elements. The one who possesses more power than any bender imaginable and, when in the avatar state, is practically unstoppable. The is the one person in the _entire world_ who can restore balance to the world.

The world appears infinite as Mako realizes of all the people in the entire world, his dumb luck has ran him into the most powerful bender in the world. The avatar. How the hell did he ignore this previously? Did it just not hit him or did he just refuse to believe it. But how could he not believe it? He saw her bend water in the pro-bending matches, he watched her earthbend the protestor's table high into the sky and he watched her firebend against the chi blockers. _"Damn, I'm stupid."_ Mako thinks. _"I can't believe I ignored the scope of this. Now look what it's doing for me."_

But in that moment it also dawns on Mako… this is the girl who Amon wants to hurt the most. This is the girl who everyone wishes would go away. _Hell, they want her dead. They'd want nothing more than to see her completely powerless and unable to help the benders. They want her gone… and permanently. _For the first time Mako sees something different when he thinks about Korra.

_She's vulnerable._

For the first time ever, Mako realizes that for all the sarcastic remarks and the whole coming across as a tough girl, she's fragile. The toughness Mako has come to partially rue is merely just the shell. On the inside, Korra is scared. With good reason too, but this isn't the same girl he first met who tried to find her way on the team by arrogantly convincing Bolin and insulting him.

As Korra dips her head softly into his scarf wrapped around her neck to hide, anger rushes through Mako. In the large scheme of things he barely knows her and quite frankly she gets on his nerves half the time. But now he's just pissed. The instinct of protecting that has kept him and Bolin together and safe for so long now applies to Korra. Mako whips onto to the defensive side as he secretly becomes determine to protect Korra. He discreetly scans the people around them, ready to strike whomever makes a move on Korra. This isn't the pro-bending Mako everyone knows. No, quite the opposite. This is the protective Mako who's ready to defend the people (or in the case, the girl) he cares about the most.

Mako's face becomes stern as he lowers his head and gives everyone around him the death glare. His disdain for the people around him is astronomical. How could they hate Korra? _My Korra. _

Mako wonders what he's gotten into and as Korra and him rescue Bolin and run away on Naga, Mako seems lost in thought. Everything he once knew is gone. His world has been turned upside down. In Mako's most honest moment he still feels conflicted on whether he likes it or not.

But at the same time, he wouldn't trade it for the world. He hugs Bolin as they get home. Of all the things he's lost, he still has a lot more than he realized.


End file.
